January 8, 2013

Umbrella weather

Like many (most?) people, by the end of the year I had begun to labor under the sluggishness brought on by all of the holiday feasting, and so when the month changed back to one it became time to start to work on that. Today my hiking total for the new year reached forty seven miles, the last few of which were on a snowy road during a snowy day.

A moderate amount of snow was falling when I left the Jeep, the woods were quiet and I was hiking on snowmobile tracks which often can be like a path with a thick carpet; very pleasant walking. Rather unexpectedly, after a just couple of miles, the falling snow turned to falling snow mixed with falling rain and the small umbrella that I had stuffed into a compartment of my pack became a very important item because I was still an hour from the Jeep.

You’ve got me beat-I’ve probably only done half that since Christmas. I like walking on snowmobile tracks too, and was just doing it last weekend. The trouble comes when you step off them to the side where the snow isn’t compacted. Nice shots of the falling snow / rain. I haven’t been able to get one of those yet.

Those shots were taken about a minute and a half apart, but facing different directions which had much different light conditions. The one of the road was taken at 1/250 and the one of the stream was at 1/30, both from under my little umbrella.

Once I started tracking my miles I just kept doing it. Every night I just make a note on a small calendar/planer on my desk by the computer. I started in 2007, so this is the 7th year.

I had severe pain in my lower back when I started and one day I just told myself I wasn’t going to let that pain hold me down and went for a hike. After two miles the pain was about gone and completely gone after four miles. The next day was the same. Then I stretched it out to 6 miles and the pain stayed away. I’ve averaged about 3.5 miles per day ever since. If I slack off for a week though the pain comes back and then I start hiking again.

Good for you on all of your hiking miles already, Terry…I’m only able to hike on the weekends, but do usually get between three and five miles a day on my lunchtime and evening walks, maybe three or four days a week…. I think that’s wonderful that you’re able to get out so much…I’m jealous!

And beautiful photos, again…so much like home…and an umbrella would be great to have out there…I think I would have returned to the truck rather soaked!

Well, I found that I really need to hike a lot to feel good and so I do. I am retired so I have the time and old so I need the exercise. I try to stay in good condition so I can make those longer hikes in the summer where there is a lot of elevation gain.

Now I’m inspired to keep track of my miles. Why did that never occur to me? Your first photo looks so similar to one I just posted, by the way – not surprising, I guess, since we’re both in the same neck of the woods!

I just started keeping track of the miles one day, found it interesting and have done it ever since. If I hike the back country trails I also keep track of the miles on each pair of hiking boots and that has turned out interesting too. I really liked Vasque Wasatch boots until I found that the Vibram soles on them have a catastrophic failure at a little over 500 miles (their cost is $.36 per mile). A pair of Asolo’s now has 940 miles and the soles show wear but will probably be good for another thousand.

I think you cover a little more territory than I do. I’m pretty limited to the lower Clark Fork region.

Interesting review of the boots. Something I’ll keep in mind. 47 miles since Jan. 1 is very impressive. Good for you! But what was that liquid snow coming down in your photos? I thought we had the monopoly on that out here on the coast.

For obvious reasons boots are very important to me. THe new pair of Merrells so far shows a lot of promise. My favorites though are a pair of logger boots made by a company called “Buffalo”. it is now owned by White Boots, probably the best logger boot company around. My pair is on its second set of soles and still has a lot of miles left in them. I bought them for fighting forest fires for the Forest Service in the summer of 1960. We’ve been through a lot together.

I had Merrills for a short time. Had to return them when I got bruises on my ankles where they rubbed. My husband swears that his Meindels are the best. I have Danners right now and I’m happy with them.

I’ve had several pairs of Merrells before and had good luck with them, although they were a little softer than I like for hard hiking. this pair is much stiffer and appears to be more durable.

I didn’t like what I could see of Danners here but I really like that they are U.S. manufacture, not China. I had never heard of Meindels before or I would have looked at them. Actually getting to see womething you are interested in is difficult in this area because there are so few stores and most have limited selections.

Yes, I found that out. That’s how I got my Danners. My old boots got soaked the first day and I was desperate for waterproof boots. The sports shop in the tiny town had exactly what I needed for my hard to fit feet. But I was very lucky to find those.

We’re losing our snow a little each day as it’s warming up considerably and melting. Supposed to be in the 60’s this weekend! Not our typical winter weather. If it hangs around too long, I’ll have to get my snow fix every day with your photos. 😉

I nearly always carry that little umbrella. It’s amazing how handy it is for rain, to shield a wildflower from direct sun for a photo and a wind break for shooting flowers. Also helps keep my pistol dry. And it weighs only a few ounces.

I spend a lot of time on or near that little road. It’s not open for traffic this time of year but used a little by snowmobiles and a very few hikers. On day a few years ago I hiked its whole length of 17 miles and really enjoyed that because it varies in elevation from 2440 feet to a little over 5000 and has a lot of moose at the top of the divide that it crosses.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a photograph of rain and snow together. It’s a lovely effect, though I can imagine “icy mess” could be an understatement from time to time! I’m desperately in need of getting out and doing some hiking myself – I do get exercise at work, but not the sort that walking and hiking provide. You’re a good role model!

There aren’t a whole lot of people nuts enough to photograph in a rain and snow mix. This is the time of year when there is always a pair of YakTrax in my pack for the ice. I can’t say too much about walking/hiking. It’s usually available close by, the price is right and it’s so much nicer than working out in the confines of a building. I’ve very lucky to live where I do. It is roughly in the middle of a triangle made by three 7000 foot peaks which are about 15 miles apart. I call that my “exercise room”.

By now I know enough to be reasonably prepared. I think it was Will Rogers who said that “good judgement comes from experience and that usually comes from bad judgement”. Another advantage of always hiking alone: I know that my life depends on being adequately prepared.

My hat off! Well, we walk about 24 miles in a week but of course the amount varies. Now living in the new locality we have found new “city paths” to walk. This week walked for the first time one hour on the lake on which shore we live. There are flows which mean that the ice is not thick enough everywhere and we must be careful.

Hi Montucky, We have only had a light snow here twice this Winter so far and that happened around Christmas. We have had a lot of rain around recently. Your picture is wonderful. You are blessed to live in such a lovely place. Have a great weekend!

I intentionally stay away from the more used trails for the most part. Yes, I frequently get to see wildlife. Deer nearly always, elk, Big Horn sheep, a few moose each year, a half dozen bears, coyotes, once in a great while a mountain lion, a mountain goat rarely, all kinds of smaller animals and lots of birds.